Peñalba de Ávila reveals itself through a blend of church art, rural history and a landscape in transition. At the Torreón de Garoza, only two tall brick corners of the walls remain; stones from the other collapsed walls are scattered around the area. The cultural points of interest range from a striking ruin to sacred architecture and traces of agricultural work.
A landscape in transition
Peñalba de Ávila lies in a transition zone between the last higher foothills of the Sierra and the grain fields of the Moraña plains. The Adaja flows north along the boundaries of the municipal area. Navares is an abandoned settlement on the banks of the Adaja; the former Dehesa of Navares has been converted into a pine forest.
Architecture and religious motifs
The Iglesia de San Vicente Mártir is a Baroque church. Its features include a chancel built of rubble masonry and a bell wall constructed from granite ashlar blocks in the 16th century. The terms describe different building methods: rubble masonry is made by fitting together irregular stones, while granite ashlar blocks are cut stone blocks. The remains also differ in age: the Torreón de Garoza probably dates from the 13th century, while the bell wall dates from the 16th century.
The Ermita del Santísimo Cristo de Santa Teresa houses an image of Saint Teresa kneeling before a crucified Christ. The whitewashed Palomar de barro also recalls Teresa: it evokes the comparison she used when referring to her convents as “palomarcitos.” The church, the image and the dovecote thus offer different cultural points of interest. In 2020, the feast days of San Vicente Mártir on January 22 and the Santísimo Cristo de Santa Teresa on September 15 were listed; check the dates before travelling.
Rural history and routes
One testament to rural work is the Potro de herrar, a traditional device for shoeing the hooves of cattle used as draft and work animals. The remains of the Molino del Prior in Navares belonged to the La Antigua monastery in Ávila. The mill’s history thus connects a rural place with a monastic institution in Ávila.
Two different route connections can be identified. The Ruta Teresiana de la Cuna al Sepulcro passes through Peñalba from Ávila. The Camino de Santiago en La Moraña can be travelled on foot or by car. The Ruta offers a connection to the town; the Camino focuses on the modes of travel.
Peñalba de Ávila is on the Av-804 road, 17 km from Ávila. The Torreón de Garoza site lies at a junction with an unpaved farm track connecting Peñalba with Gotarrendura.
Discover more destinations: Casavieja, Cuevas Del Valle, Mediana De Voltoya, Cardeñosa, Navalguijo, La Angostura, Santiago Del Collado, Navalonguilla.
For the broader travel overview: Avila.
